Wednesday, July 12, 2006

peaks and valleys

Just to generate the illusion that we are one of those active, adventurous families, here is a shot of Esther and Isla in their chariot. They were whisked up McKenzie Pass by my former snowboard trainer on his bicycle during our recent trip to Oregon. The reason he pulled them is because it was six miles uphill and neither Ian nor I could have made it before sunset, or at all.

We trailed behind on our own bikes, unencumbered by our children but still very much encumbered. My coach's uber-fit wife also pulled a trailer filled with camping gear, chicken, beets and a lemon pound cake. No lie. We picnicked atop a stone tower, much like Rapunzel's, overlooking the three sisters and an endless stretch of lava field. Isla fell asleep on the way down as Esther held her hand.

The whole experience was proof positive that, if prodded and coddled in just the right way, even the most tired and apathetic parents can rally their way out of the valley and onto the peaks

2 comments:

And did you get her picture? I love the other photos and think it's great that you traveled to an entirely different ecosystem, even an entirely different continent with 2 kids, one not even old enough to entertain herself for more than 2 seconds. And now, how will you ever travel to Britain again with small children? Are the flight attendants now equiped with small, cabin-sized circuses to keep little ones entertained while their hand-luggage-free parents stare at the seat backs in front of them and hope their incarceration 5 miles in the sky ends soon.

About Me

This is where I write about being human and raising little humans and... oh the humanity. Oh yes, and returning to Vermont, after living in France. I'm taking reentry one day at a time with my eyes always fixed on the horizon.